E-mail marketers’ average click and open rates in the third quarter of 2009 edged up over the same period in 2008, according to a recent study by Epsilon.
Average open rates — an “open” is recorded when the receiving computer calls for graphics from the sending machine — in the study of more than 6 billion e-mails sent by about 200 clients during the third quarter of 2009 were 21.9% compared to 19.8% during the same period in 2008, according to Epsilon.
The figure was down slightly, however, from 22.2% in the second quarter of 2009.
While open rates don’t necessarily measure the number or percentage of e-mails actually opened — messages can be opened and read without graphics, for example — the metric is a barometer of whether recipients are engaged. A high open rate means people are making the effort to turn on the graphics in the sender’s e-mails.
As a result, it should come as no surprise that financial services firms — which presumably tend to deliver critical information to account holders — had the highest open rates of all the sectors Epsilon tracks.
Got an e-mail tip to share? Contact Beth Negus Viveiros at [email protected]
Network
